Dolen Ysgolion.
Another part of the Welsh Language Project in Patagonia is the Dolen Ysgolion, or Schools Link. According to the description on the BBC Cymru/Dolen Ysgolion website,
"Dolen Ysgolion is a new project whose aim is to link Welsh speaking children in Chubut to school children in Wales and encourage them to work on curriculum based joint projects e.g. geography, history, modern language development (Welsh/Spanish/English). This will not only help the children with their language and information technology skills but also help them to learn about each other and each other's cultures."(Cydweithio er mwyn yr iaith, BBC Cymru'r Byd)
To start, seven primary and secondary schools in Wales have been linked to computers in seven Welsh teaching centers in Chubut; this number is expected to grow if the pilot program succeeds. In addition to boosting the Welsh Language Project as a whole, it is hoped that the schools link will help demonstrate "the benefits of IT in the development of educational and cultural links." (Cydweithio er mwyn yr iaith, BBC Cymru'r Byd) Valuable help to the program is being provided by the University of Wales Aberystwyth's Wales Information Network and by BBC Cymru'r Byd, who is responsible for the creation and hosting of the website.
Eisteddfodau.
Last but not least, the continuing cultural tradition of the Eisteddfod has helped the descendants of the original Welsh settlers in Chubut to maintain their heritage and their connection to Wales. During the year there are several large and small festivals throughout the region, but the large Eisteddfod Chubut is held annually in Trelew, where it has been regularly held since 1900. Modeled after Welsh Eisteddfodau, participants in the Eisteddfod Chubut compete--in both Welsh and Spanish--in poetry, singing, dancing, etc., including the traditional contest for the chair and the crown. The chair is given to the best prose entry in Welsh, while the crown is awarded for the best poem in Spanish. In addition to the Eisteddfod in Chubut, competitors from Patagonia have regularly participated in Welsh Eisteddfodau, including the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen and the Eisteddfod held by Urdd Gobaith Cymru.
Clearly, many groups and individuals are doing their best to safeguard the Welsh language in Patagonia. The region's culture and history are unique and fascinating--may the old language persevere, and may the efforts to preserve it continue to succeed in the future.
Sources for Further Information:
BBC Cymru'r Byd: Dolen Ysgolion Cymru-Patagonia
Cymdeithas Cymru-Ariannin (Welsh)
Eisteddfod del Chubut (Spanish)
Go Britannia! Wales - Patagonia
